This application relates to a thrust bearing shaft for a fan, wherein the thrust bearing shaft is designed to distribute air between two axial thrust bearing surfaces, and a radial thrust bearing.
Fans are known, and utilized in any number of applications. In one application, an electric motor drives a fan rotor. A thrust bearing may position the fan axially at a desired location. One known type of thrust bearing passes air along two opposed surfaces on opposed faces of a thrust bearing shaft disc to position the fan rotor axially. The air then passes through openings in a shaft portion, and may pass across a radial thrust bearing.
In the prior art, air has not always been adequately distributed as desired.
One application for such a fan is as part of a cooling system for supplying air to an aircraft cabin. In such systems, a fan delivers air across heat exchangers which are in turn utilized to cool air being sent into the aircraft cabin, or being sent to cool aircraft galleys.